Here is a trouble shooting chart and below that is some basic maintenance tips everyone should know.
Problem |
Cause |
Solution |
| High Ammonia or Nitrite levels. | Overfeeding of fish, excessive waste build up in gravel, dead fish. Inadequate or inhibited filter bed. | Use Bio Booster every 24 hours at the rate of one teaspoon per 25 gallons until readings cease. Stop feeding for one day, feed every other day for one week. |
| High Nitrate | Overfeeding, waste build up in gravel, not enough denitrifying bacteria available to control waste.
Inadequate housing for denitrifying bacteria. |
Do partial water change, cut feeding in half for one week, add Bio Denitrator every two days at the rate of one teaspoon per 50 gallons until readings come into acceptable range. |
| Unstable pH readings | Using to much de-chlorinator, too many fish, high ammonia levels, dead fish. | Use pH plus or minus to get desired pH, add Total at rate of one teaspoon per 20 gallons to lock in pH. Check ammonia and Nitrite levels. |
| Cloudy Water | Algae bloom, bacterial cloud from overfeeding, overpopulation, dead fish. | Clean filter, raise pH to 6.8 or higher and add Super Clarifier at rate of one teaspoon per ten gallons. |
| Colored water | Tap water from water changes, disease treatments containing dyes, uncured driftwood. | Use C.F.M. 16 oz container for every 55 to 75 gallons. replace every four to six months or as needed. |
Basic aquarium maintenance procedures: Wipe inside glass with a clean non abrasive sponge or brush. Clean rock and dirty ornaments with a small brush. Clean undergravel filter stand pipes with a pipe cleaning brush. Siphon top level of gravel when needed. Clean outer glass and canopies when needed. Clean power filters when flow becomes too low. Do a five to ten percent water change. Water changes over ten percent can shock beneficial microorganisms and some types of fish. Do The above steps when needed, then Add Bio Booster, Bio Denitrator, Total, and Super Clarifier using the maintenance dose on the back label of each product. All four products are sold in kit form and are pictured below.
Most problems encountered by hobbyists are caused by overfeeding. Remember that fish are cold blooded; like reptiles. They do not need to eat three times a day but they will if you let them. Overfeeding will shorten the life of fish and can interfere with their breeding. In most cases feed fish only what they can eat in three to five minutes, and only feed once daily. If using flake food try not to let the food settle in the gravel where it can rot and cause ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH problems. It is also a good policy to feed fish natural rather than man-made foods.
By not overfeeding, using Dolphin Pharmaceutical's waste water products and a proper aquarium maintenance regimen, you should never have any trouble keeping a balanced aquarium. Once our very specialized organisms become dominant within a system, the amount of brushing and cleaning becomes minimal.